Top American Alpinists Killed in China

Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC17th June, 2009

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Jonny Copp, Micah Dash and climbing camera-man Wade Johnson have been tragically killed in what is thought to be an avalanche accident below E Gongga (Mt Edgar, 6,618m) in the Minya Konka Group of Sichuan's Daxue Shan.

A search party flew over to China from the US to help the Chinese rescue services. The bodies of Copp and Johnson were found but although some of his climbing gear was located, Dash's body has yet to be discovered.

The search has now been called off for the season due to frequent rock fall and avalanches.

Copp and Dash were well known Alpinists and starred in the recent hit climbing film The Sharp End, an extract of which is shown below. Johnson was part of the Sender Films team and was in China to capture Copp and Dash's ascent on film.